Ondeh-Ondeh (Buah Melaka)

Ondeh-Ondeh or also known as Buah Melaka is one of the traditional kuih in Malaysia and Singapore. They are either made from sweet potato or glutinous rice flour. These cute little Ondeh-Ondeh are infused with Pandan juice and filled with palm sugar and then rolled in with some fresh grated coconut. The palm sugar that's in it, literally burst in your mouth when you take a bite. They are sweet, delicious, gluten-free and suitable for vegan and vegetarian too.




Ondeh-Ondeh (Buah Melaka)

Ingredients

250 g Glutinous Rice Flour
1 Cup of Pandan Juice
150 g Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar), chopped
1 Coconut, grated
½ tsp Sea Salt

Method

In a large bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour with Pandan juice and knead lightly. Pinch a small piece of the dough (about 40 g) and drop it into boiling water. When the dough rises up the surface, remove it with a slotted spoon and shake off the excess water. Mix it back into the main dough and knead well to form smooth dough. Cover the dough and set aside for about 10 minutes.

Mix the grated coconut with a pinch of salt and steam for about 2 - 3 minutes and let it cool completely.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Pinch a small piece of dough (about 15 g each) and flatten lightly. Fill the center of the dough with palm sugar. Roll them in your palm to form a smooth ball and cook the Ondeh-Ondeh in the boiling water. When the Ondeh-Ondeh float to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon and shake off the excess water. 
Coat the Ondeh-Ondeh with grated coconut and serve immediately.

Makes about 28 Ondeh-Ondeh

Note: To make the Pandan Juice. Blend 10 to 12 Pandan leaves with 250 ml water.

Crispy Honey Lemon Cauliflower on Chili and Garlic Stir Fried Zoodles

After recently making the crispy parmesan cauliflower bites I could not help but think that crispy cauliflower could be used in other recipes and the thing the that stuck out in my mind was using it to replace the meat in a Chinese style dish like honey lemon chicken. Normally when I am making a Chinese style dish where the meat is coated and fried until crispy I take a lighter approach and use simple sauteed meat but since the meat in this case is actually cauliflower I thought that it would be alright to indulge a bit and go with the crispy coating. The honey lemon sauce is super quick and easy to make starring, you guessed it, honey and lemon along with some other Chinese style sauce staples including soy sauce, garlic and ginger. You will definitely never miss the meat in this dish as the crispy cauliflower is absolutely amazing in the tasty honey lemon sauce!

I served the crispy honey lemon cauliflower over a bed of zucchini noodles stir fried with some garlic and a touch of chili heat to keep things nice and light.

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Raw Energy Bars~Chocolate Orange

These are gluten-free Chocolate Orange Raw Energy Bars. It's made from scratch using raw ingredients, such as Medjool dates, raisins, cashew, almond, cacao, orange zest and juice. If you are a fan of chocolate and orange combination, then you'll love this recipe. They taste really good!





Raw Energy Bars~Chocolate Orange

Ingredients

1 Cup (150g) Moist Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped
1/4 Cup (40 g) Raisins
1 Cup (140g) Raw Cashew Nuts
1/4 Cup (30g) Almond Meal
1/2 Cup (50g) Cacao Powder
A Pinch Of Sea Salt
1/2 tsp to 3/4 tsp Orange Zest
3 to 4 Tbsp Orange Juice (without pulp)
1 tsp Vanilla Paste


Equipment: Food Processor
5 x 7 inches Baking dish, lined with cling/plastic wrap

Method

Combine chopped dates, cashews, dates, and raisins in a food processor. Pulse and process all the ingredients together until the texture is fine. Then transfer the dates mixtures in a mixing bowl. Add in the almond meal, Cacao powder, sea salt, orange zest, vanilla paste, 3 to 4 Tablespoons of orange juice. Mix well with your hand until it reaches a dry but moist dough consistency. Scrape the dough mixture into the lined pan, press evenly with your palm or a small rubber spatula, and chill for about 3 to 4 hours before serving.

Quick and Easy Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

The Lunar New Year, often called the Chinese New Year, is next week and I take that as the perfect excuse to pull out some of my favourite Chinese recipes and to try some new ones. One of my favourite Chinese take out dishes is the hot and sour soup and a few years ago I shared a traditional Chinese hot and sour soup recipe but it required a few ingredients that you could only get on a trip down to Chinatown or a well stocked local Asian grocery store so I decided to come up with a more accessible or pantry friendly version. This version of Chinese hot and sour soup does not require any rare ingredients, it takes less 20 minutes to make and what's more is that it's still better than most take out versions! You really couldn't find a much simpler soup recipe than this one, you pretty much just throw everything into the pot, heat it, pour in the egg drop along with a few seasoning and you are done! If you are looking for a quick, easy and tasty Chinese hot and sour soup, this is it and it was perfect for me right now since it is far too cold out for me to head down to Chinatown to pick up some of those wood ear mushrooms and lily buds that are required for the more traditional version of the recipe!

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Sweet Sticky Rice With Coconut And Mango~{Khao Niaw Mamuang}

This Sweet Sticky Rice With Coconut And Mango is definitely one of my favorite Thai desserts. The “Nam Dawk Mai” mango variety is perfect for this sweet and a slightly hint of saltiness treat.




Sweet Sticky Rice With Coconut And Mango~{Khao Niaw Mamuang}

Ingredients

2 Large Ripe Mangoes (sliced or diced)
1 Cup/225grams Glutinous Rice, soaked overnight & drained
3/4 Cup Coconut Milk
1 tsp Sea Salt
3 to 4 Tbsp of Cane Sugar
2 Pandan Leaves, knotted
Toasted Mung Beans, optional

Coconut Cream
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
1 Tbsp Cane Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Corn Starch
A Pinch of Sea Salt

Method

Put the glutinous rice in a steamer lined with a piece of thin linen cloth and steam for 30 minutes.

Coconut Cream: Combine the cane sugar, corn starch, sea salt and coconut milk. Stir until the corn starch dissolves. Cook over a low heat. Stirring constantly (do not let it boil) till thickens. Remove from the heat and reserve.

Sweet Sticky Rice: Combine the coconut milk, sea salt, sugar, and Pandan leaves in a saucepan. Bring it to a gentle boil, stir well. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the glutinous from the steamer and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add in the hot coconut milk mixture into the cooked glutinous rice. Cover the rice mixture for 20 to 25 minutes before serving.

To serve: Spoon some sweet sticky rice into a small cup or bowl. Then place the molded rice on a plate, arrange the mangoes, spoon some coconut cream on top, and top with some toasted mung beans, if desired.

*You can also serve it in a mason jar with some diced mangoes, and top with coconut cream.

Serves 4

Caramelized Pear and Blue Cheese Soup

It's time for another warm comforting bowl of soup for these cold winter days! At first this pear and blue cheese soup might sound a little strange but the combination of pears and blue cheese can be a magical one; the trick is that you need to be careful not to overpower the delicate flavour of the pears with the strong flavour of the blue cheese. This soup starts off by caramelizing the pears in butter and brown sugar to add a little to their sweetness and to bring out more of the pears flavours. From there the recipe is pretty much a simple soup recipe where you cook some onions, garlic and thyme before adding the broth along with some potatoes to thicken the soup a bit, simmer until tender, puree and add the blue cheese along with some cream. I have to say that the sweet pear and savoury blue cheese combo is an absolutely fabulous one and it works amazingly well in this soup! As good as the soup is just like that it benefits from the saltiness from a garnish of some crispy fried pancetta or bacon; a must in my books! No matter how you make it, this soup is pure comfort food that will warm your soul through the dead of winter!

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Cauliflower Chowder

It's time for another soup and this time it's a cauliflower chowder that is so quick, easy, light, healthy and so tasty that you'll be coming back for seconds every time! My favourite cauliflower soup is my roasted cauliflower and aged white cheddar soup where the cauliflower is pureed to make a smooth soup but it's also nice to get the texture of the cauliflower and this chowder does just that. This recipe could not be simpler, you just saute the standard three veggies, onions, carrots and celery in oil, add some flour as a thickener, add the broth and cauliflower, simmer until the cauliflower is tender, add the cream and season to taste. The recipe as written is really good but I like to kick things up a bit by adding some umami in the form of melting parmesan cheese into the chowder, adding miso paste and finally by giving into my inner bacon addiction and topping things off with some crispy bacon! This is definitely one of my new favourite soups with it being both hearty and tasty while also being light and healthy and it's also a bowl of pure comfort food that is perfect for these cold winter days!

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Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Almonds, Pomegranate and Feta in a Lemony Tahini Dressing

After all of the football snacking in January it was time for some healthier dishes starting with this roasted cauliflower and chickpea quinoa and arugula salad/grain bowl. I start this salad out with a base of quinoa and arugula and I build it up with some meaty roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. From there I add some toasted almond slivers for crunch, pomegranate for both the colour and the juicy bursts of sweetness and some salty feta before finishing it off with plenty of fresh herbs like parsley and mint. Continuing with the Mediterranean theme I went with a simple lemony tahini based dressing and despite it simply consisting of tahini, lemon juice and salt it is so amazingly good! One of the things that I like most about this salad, other than the fact that it tastes amazing, is all of the vibrant colours from the black quinoa to the green arugula to the white cauliflower and finally the red pomegranate and I also thoroughly enjoy all of the contrasting textures. If you are looking for a healthy light meal (or a side dish) you just cannot go wrong with this tasty roasted cauliflower and chickpea quinoa and arugula salad/grain bowl!

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Creamy Parmesan Mushroom and Spinach Tortellini Soup

With all of the cold and the snow I have been in full on soup mode and my latest soup is this creamy mushroom and spinach soup with cheese tortellini. Mushrooms and spinach are a fabulous combination that I enjoy using in many different dishes so it was inevitable that I eventually used them in a soup like this one and it's a good thing that I did because this is one of my new favourite soups! This recipe is pretty easy, you simply slice the mushrooms, dice the onions, cook them in a saucepan, add the broth and tortellini, cook until the tortellini is done and add the spinach before seasoning and enjoying a bowl of pure comfort! If you know me then you know that I could not resist adding a bit of extra flavour, aka umami, in the form of using white wine to deglaze the pan, adding parmesan and I even add a tablespoon of white miso paste to the soup. No matter how you cut it, this creamy mushroom and spinach soup with cheese tortellini is one hearty and tasty bowl of soup that is perfect for these cold winter days!

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Tomato and Feta Dip

With the Big Game (the football playoffs) being tomorrow I have one last minute snack to share with you, a fresh dip that I have been seeing on pinterest for a while now, a Greek themed tomato and feta dip that looked so good that I had to try it. This dip is so quick and easy to make, you pretty much just need to dice some tomatoes, crumble some feta, slice some green onions and dig in and start dipping! You could dip with fresh bread but I decided to go with some toasted pita wedges where I sprayed/brushed them with a bit of oil, sprinkled on some salt and pepper and toasted them in the oven. This form of the dip is great as it is but there is plenty of room to play around with and I could easily see adding things like kalamata olives or sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, etc. but no matter how you serve it, this dip will disappear quickly so make a lot of it!

Enjoy the Big Game and more importantly all of the tasty game day food!

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Chipotle Sweet Potato and Black Bean Hash with Guacamole

Up next for my menu for the Big Game is a hearty, tasty and healthy sweet potato and black bean hash topped with a simple guacamole for breakfast to ensure that you start the day off right! (Although I will be making this for the big game it is perfect any time of the year!) This hash is super simple to make, it starts with bacon (omit for vegetarian), followed by onions, garlic, cumin, chipotle chili powder, the sweet potatoes and finally the black beans before being topped with a simple guacamole. The key to a quick cooking time is to dice the sweet potatoes small as the larger the sweet potato cubes are the longer it will take to cook them until tender. I like to keep things simple and go with an avocado topping with lime juice and salt but if you want something a little more complex you can go with a more robust guacamole. Of course pretty much everything is better when topped with a fried egg so I like throw some on as well and that gives me a trio of my favourite foods: bacon, eggs and avocado all on a tasty bed of sweet potato and black bean hash! Feel free to add any other extras like sour cream, salsa, cheese, etc.

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Spinach and Artichoke Dip Pizza

My favourite dip hands down has to be the hot spinach and artichoke dip and for this years Big Game for the football playoffs I thought that I would bring it in pizza form! The basic idea was to make a pizza with all of the flavours of the spinach and artichoke dip and as it turns out it is freaking amazing! This pizza is also super easy to make, you start by brushing the pizza sauce, in this case a garlic olive oil, onto the pizza crust, drop on some dollops of cream cheese followed by mozzarella and parmesan along with the stars of the show the spinach and artichokes before baking it until golden brown and bubbly; it's all done in less than 20 minutes! Both fresh and frozen spinach work well in this pizza and if you want to kick things up a bit you can try adding things like bacon, sun dried tomatoes or even shredded chicken. I will definitely be making this pizza very often and especially for the Big Game this weekend!

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Stir-Fried Glass Noodles

Here is a simple Stir-Fry Glass Noodles' recipe, that I often make for my family. You can add some protein of your choice to make it a substantial meal.

Anyway, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my loyal readers and YouTube subscribers for the supports you have given me throughout the years and wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year, Cheers!




Stir-Fry Glass Noodles

Ingredients

150 grams Dried Glass Noodles, soak with warm water for about 10 minutes, & drained well
2 to 3 Tbsp Peanut or Vegetable Oil


3 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and chopped
½ Yellow Onion, peeled, halved & sliced
2 Large Eggs
1 Large Carrot, shredded

200 grams Bean Sprouts
1 tsp Chicken Granules or Sugar
2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce


1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
Freshly Ground White Peppercorns
Sea Salt to taste



Method



Heat the wok over high heat. Add some peanut oil and swirl to coat the wok. Remove excess oil, you’ll need about 2 Tbsp of oil.

Add yellow onion and garlic. Sir-fry until fragrant. Mix in the eggs, let it set, and gently move and spread it around. Then season with some white pepper and stir to mix. Toss in the glass noodles and stir and mix with a tong. Make sure the glass noodle is coated with the eggs.

Season the glass noodles with oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, chicken granules, sea salt, and white pepper. Toss well and mix in the carrots and bean sprouts. Continue to stir-fry until all the ingredients are well mix and the carrots and bean sprouts are just cooked, and serve warm.

Bubur Cha Cha - Sweet Potato And Yam Pudding

Bubur Ca Ca or Sweet Potato And Yam Pudding is another traditional and very popular dessert in Malaysia. You can either serve this sweet dessert warm or cold. As for me, I prefer to savor them warm.

NOTE: This is an updated post with a new pictures and video cooking guide. {Original post published on 08/27/09}





Bubur Cha Cha - Sweet Potato And Yam Pudding

Ingredients

500 to 600 grams Assorted Sweet Potatoes, diced
1 /2 Small (150 g)rams Yam, diced
1 Cup Water
3 Pandan Leaves, knotted
1 Pack (500 ml) Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Sago Pearls, rinsed
4 Tbsp Sugar or more to taste
A Big Pinch of Salt

Method

Steam the sweet potato and yam on a high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked.

In a medium saucepan, combine water and pandan leaves, sugar, and bring it to a boil. Mix in the coconut and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add Sago pearls and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Lastly, add the steamed sweet potatoes and yam, and season with salt. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.



{Original post published on 08/27/09}
By the way, I will be submitting my Bubur Ca Ca recipe for the Merdeka Open House 2009 organized by Babe in the City - KL. Malaysia will be celebrating 52 years of independence from the British on August 31st 2009. The theme chosen for this year’s virtual open house is My Sweet Malaysia. This is a great way to showcase some of the traditional sweet desserts from Malaysia. So, do remember to check out Babe in the City - KL blog on August 31st for some delicious sweet dessert recipes from Malaysia.

Roasted Pumpkin and Green Bean Quinoa Salad in Thai Peanut Dressing

It's time for another pumpkin recipe and this time we've got a roasted pumpkin and green bean quinoa salad in a tasty Thai peanut dressing. Quinoa makes for both a nice addition to a salad and a great base for salads and if you are using it as a base for a salad all you really need to do is add some veggies, like pumpkin, along with a dressing and you're done! In addition to the pumpkin I added green beans (which I blanched rather than roasted to retain their bright green colour and crispy crunch) and red peppers along with some green onions and cilantro. The pumpkin and Thai peanut sauce combo is a fabulous one, and the inspiration for this salad, so a dressing based on it was a must! Although it's not required, I like to serve this salad on a bed of baby spinach, just to get some more veggie goodness!

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Thai Pumpkin Soup

One of my favourite ways to enjoy pumpkin has to be in this tasty Thai pumpkin soup that literally comes together in less than 15 minutes! I first posted this recipe a few years ago so the photo was a bit dated and with all of the fresh pumpkins around it was the perfect opportunity to update the photos along with the recipe! This recipe really only has the four main ingredients, the red curry paste, broth, coconut milk and pumpkin puree along with some seasonings including fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. These seasonings are there to create a perfect balance of salty, sweet and sour along with the spicy aspect from the curry paste itself! Canned pumpkin puree is really convenient for this soup (and it allows you to make it year round) but you can also use homemade pumpkin puree or even raw pumpkin where you would simply add diced pumpkin to the broth and coconut milk and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. This soup works both as a starter or side and as a meal and you can easily add things like chicken, noodles, tofu, veggies, etc. The next time you are thinking about making soup, don't reach for the canned stuff, this soup only takes a few minutes more and it is so much better!

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Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quiche with Quinoa Crust

I have really been enjoying the cauliflower and mushroom combo lately, especially if they are roasted, and I thought that it was about time that I used them in a breakfast dish and a quiche is the perfect way to do it! I wanted to keep things on the lighter and healthier side so I started out with a quinoa crust, which is easy to make, you simply mix an egg and possibly some cheese into the cooked quinoa, press it into a pie plate and pre-bake it before filling it and baking it again. From there I roasted the cauliflower and mushrooms and added the usual quiche suspects, eggs and cream, along with some goat cheese, since a quiche just isn't a quiche without cheese! (Aged white cheddar or blue cheese would also be amazing in this quiche!) The cauliflower and mushroom combo works amazingly well in this quiche and now I can enjoy my favourite combo for breakfast lunch and dinner!

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Daikon And Carrot Pickles

These Dalkon And Carrot Pickles are often filled-in Banh Mi or Vietnamese Sandwiches. The sweet, sour, and crunchy vegetables are perfect to serve alongside BBQ or fried meat too.




Daikon And Carrot Pickles

Ingredients

2 Large Carrots, shredded
1 Small Daikon, shredded
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
3/4 Cup White Vinegar

Method

Combine sugar, water and vinegar in a bowl or measuring jug and mix well.

Combine daikon and carrots in a colander and rub with sea salt. Set aside for about 10 minutes. Then rinse with cold water, drain well and use a salad spinner to dry the vegetables. Alternatively, squeeze the vegetables with a muslin cloth until dry.

Place the vegetables in a large jar and pour in the vinegar mixture. Allow the vegetables to marinate for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving. The pickles are best served chilled.

Pesto Zucchini and Corn Quinoa Salad

Although fall is officially here and the days are cooling, there is still plenty of zucchini around and I wanted to give summer one last hurrah with this zucchini and corn quinoa salad with a basil pesto dressing. This salad is as easy as it sounds with the quinoa, sautéed zucchini and corn, the basil pesto dressing and I like to add some chickpeas to fill it out a bit along with some green onions and toasted pine nuts as garnish. Really all you need to do is cook the quinoa, zucchini and corn and mix everything and you are done! This pesto zucchini and corn quinoa salad makes for a great side or even a light meal and it's sure to brighten your day!

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Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Double Smoked Bacon

It's time for another side dish and this time it's one using one of my favourite fall green vegetables, brussels sprouts, in a parmesan roasted brussels sprouts dish. Ever since I discovered just how magical roasted brussels sprouts are I try to roast them every chance I get! Roasting the brussels sprouts brings out their flavour, mellows the slight bitterness and caramelizes the edges and those caramelized bits are the best part! This roasted brussels sprouts dish could not be easier to make, you simply slice or quarter the brussels sprouts (I prefer to slice so that there is more surface area to caramelize but quartering is quicker.), toss them in some oil along with chopped garlic, roast them, sprinkle on the parmesan and return them to the oven until the parmesan is all melted and good. Given my bacon addiction and how well bacon and brussels sprouts go together I almost always add bacon and a touch of lemon zest brightens things up a bit! In addition to being super easy to make, you can do most of the prep work a few days ahead of time and even roast the brussels sprout a few hours early and return them to the oven briefly to warm when ready to serve so this side dish is perfect for large meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!

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